Training injection device



S. J. SARNOFF R w m F W m F m V n .NI A 5 wl/lfll//J uw.

M 5 /M W x r. V.. 2 m mm B w .un F ,w m m s ww Feb. 11, 1969 TRAINING INJECTION DEVICE W I /n 1 United lStates Patent O 3,426,448 TRAINING INJECTION DEVICE Stanley J. Sarnoif, 7507 Hampden Lane, Bethesda, Md. 20014 Filed Feb. 2, 1967, Ser. No. 613,644 U.S. Cl. 35--17 Int. Cl. G09b 23/28; A61m 5/18 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE cartridge within the inner barrel is forced out through the needle, all to simulate an injection and give a person the training necessary to make a real injection.

Background of the invention The invention relates to a training device for teaching a trainee the technique and feel of an injection device both in applying the device to others and in self administration thereof.

In the prior art various kindred devices have been provided for this general purpose, for example those disclosed in the following patents: 2,686,374, Niiranen; 2,704,897, Lade; 3,226,846, Wood; 3,318,021, Sarnoff.

It is a principal object of this invention to provide an instrument which shall train not only doctors, nurses and medical technicians how to administer an injection, but the laity as well.

It i`sf a further object of this invention to teach a layman how to administer an injection to himself and to gain confidence in the act of so administering the injection by practicing with a training device which when in use gives the sensation of an injection into the body but in fact does not penetrate the skin.

Other objects will become apparent after a consideration of the following specification and accompanying drawings.

Brief description of the drawings In the drawings:

FIG. l is essentially `a longitudinal cross sectional View of the training device, and

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of one end of the device in an operated position of the training needle.

Description of the preferred embodiment Referring to the drawings in greater detail, the training injector ydevice comprises an inner cylindrical barrel 10 having a shouldered portion 12 forming a seat for a cartridge 14.

The cartridge comprises a cylindrical body 16 as of transparent polyethylene or glass having a piston 18 of rubber or other suitable material at one end and a rubber stopper 20 at the other end. The rubber stopper is provided with a transverse wall 22 thinned in the center thereof and penetrable by a hollow needle 24 whose inner end is provided with an acute sharp point 26 and whose outer end is dull, as by providing an end surface 28 on the needle perpendicular to the axis of the needle. The needle is frictionally engaged within an end rubber or plastic plug or insert 3i? in a plastic cup 32, the cylindrical side wall of the cup lbeing split longitudinally at two or more circumferential projections 34 at the lower end of the inner bar- 3,426,448 Patented Feb. 11, 1969 ICC rel 10. The inner wall of the cup is circularly recessed as at 36 to allow the projections to come to rest within the thickness of the cup wall. An outer plastic ring 38 with inturned stop ilange 39 is slipped over the outer cylindrical wall of the cup to lock the cup in place. Penetrating resistance of the rubber stopper 20 against the needle is greater than the frictional engagement between the needle and the insert 30, so that upon displacement of the cartridge 14 toward the needle, as will be described, the at needle end 28 will project beyond the insert 30 before the needle penetrates the wall 22 of stopper 20. For the purpose of limiting the movement of the needle with respect to the insert, a stop ring or collar 40 is ailxed to the needle. Also the needle has an opening 42 through the side thereof, so located that when the needle end 28 is thrust out of the insert, the opening 42 will be to the exterior of the insert and liquid, such as water 44 which may half li the cartidge, will `be ejected laterally from the needle. The blunt end of the needle when projected extends but a slight distance beyond the rubber insert, the distance being insucient to penetrate the skin of a Subject, the skin and underlying ilesh merely yielding under the thrust of the needle.

The pressure on the skin by the blunt end of the needle gives a sensation to a subject of an injection without it being actually performed. The sensation is enhanced by the flowing of the liquid over the skin of the subject.

To shift the cartridge `toward the needle, a stiff spring 46 is retained under compression between a shoulder 48 on a metal plunger rod 50 and an end wall 52 of the inner barrel. The metal plunger rod as described clearly in the Sarnoff et al. patent 2,832,339 has a split end, forming tines 54, each tine being provided with :a recessed seat portion 56 adapted to engage the inner wall of a central opening 58 in the end wall 52. Beyond the recessed portion on each tine is the part conical tip 60. When the tines are compressed toward each other the outside diameter of the composite cone, i.e. the diameter at the base of the cornposite cone, is less than the diameter of the central opening 58 in the end wall so that it is possible with an appropriate tool to press on the shouldered end of the plunger rod and force the conical head of the rod through the opening 58. Due to the springiness of the metal of the rod, the tines will then assume a normal spread out position and the bases of the cones will bear against the outer surface of end wall 52. With the spring 46 in place, it is obvious that the spring will be held under compression.

To insure that the seat for the conical end of the plunger is fully capable of withstanding the strains due to spring action of the compressed spring 46 and the abrasion of the resilient tines 54, the end wall may actually comprise a ymetal ring moulded into the end of the inner barrel, and the upper end of the spring 46 may bear against this metal ring.

Surrounding the inner barrel and in telescopic relationship therewith is the outer barrel 62 of plastic material and which has some springy characteristics so that a recessed annular portion 64 at the needle end of the outer barrel may be sprung over projections 66 on the corresponding end of the inner barrel. The opposite end of the outer ybarrel is provided with a centrally apertured end wall 68, the inner portion of the aperture being tapered as indicated at 70 so that when the barrels are telescoped to move the outer barrel toward the needle end, the tines of the plunger rod will be squeezed together to allow the conical end of the tines to pass through the ring 52 t0 thereby release the compression spring 46 with lconsequent projection of the blunt end of the needle 24 and ejection of fluid through the end 28 and through side opening 42 of the needle. To prevent accidental release of compression of the spring, a safety pin 72 is provided, as in the Sarno et al. Patent 2,832,339, which pin has a cylindrical elongated portion 74entering between the tines to prevent their movement toward each other.

To reset the device, the ring 38 is removed, next the cup 32 is sprung olf and the needle reset by thrusting the blunt protruding end 28 of the needle against a surface. Previous to thrusting the spring back to its cocked position, the spent cartridge 14 is removed, and the retenl sioned spring is locked against release by inserting the safety pin 72. Next, a relled cartridge is inserted into the barrel and the cup and ring are replaced.

Having thus described a preferred embodiment of the training injector device, what is claimed is set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A training injector device comprising a barrel, a cartridge containing a fluid Within the barrel, a hollow needle in the barrel frictionally retained therein and having a blunt end normally within the barrel, and means for projecting the blunt end of the needle from the barrel a slight distance but insufficient to penetrate the skin of an individual with whom the needle end of the barrel is in contact and forcing the fluid in the cartridge through said needle.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which the needle has an opening in the side thereof communicating with the hollow within the needle, said opening being adjacent the blunt end of the needle and exteriorly of the barrel in the projected position of the needle.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which a collar is fixed on the needle to limit the projecting movement of the needle.

4. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which the needle at the end opposite the blunt end is sharp and the cartridge has a stopper penetrable by said needle when the cartridge is displaced toward the needle, said means for forcing the uid from the cartridge including means for displacing the cartridge toward the needle.

5. A device as set forth in claim 4 in which the barrel is provided with an insert in which the needle is solely and frictionally held, the frictional bond between the needle and insert being less than the resistance entailed for the sharp end of the needle to penetrate the stopper whereby initial advance of the cartridge will advance the blunt end of the needle beyond the insert, penetration of the needle past the stopper occurring subsequently.

6. A device as set forth in claim 5 in which a collar is aflixed to the needle and positioned between the stopper and insert to limit the projecting movement of the needle.

7. A device as set forth in claim 6 in which the side opening of the needle is normally occluded by the insert.

8. A device as set forth in claim 7 in which the cartridge has a piston therein remote from the stopper with the fluid therebetween and the means for forcing the iiuid from the cartridge comprises a plunger rod and a spring under compression for urging the plunger rod in the direction of the stopper.

9. A device as set forth in claim 8 in which the plunger rod is normally held in restraint against the action of the compression spring and a telescopic barrel is provided surrounding the first mentioned barrel which when moved toward the insert will release the plunger rod to the action of the spring.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,670,673 3/1954 Gordon et al 12S-218 X 2,866,458 12/1958 Hein 12S-218 3,136,313 6/1964 Enstrm et al. 128-218 3,237,340 3/1966 Knott 272-8 EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner. HARLAND S. SKOGQUIST, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 12S-218 

